Low & High-Risk Pregnancy Care

Promote a healthy delivery experience by starting with a healthy pregnancy. The physicians and medical staff at our practice provide compassionate prenatal care for both low- and high-risk pregnancies. Starting your prenatal care as soon as you know you are pregnant—and if possible, while you are trying to conceive, helps ensure the most beneficial outcome for you and your child. Regardless of what you face during your journey, feel confident that you have a skilled and knowledgeable team to support you along the way.

The Importance of Prenatal Visits

Prenatal visits are just as much about monitoring the health of your developing baby as they are about making sure you, the mother-to-be, remain healthy. These checkups are integral for you to prevent complications and stay informed throughout your pregnancy. During these visits, we keep track of your weight, heart rate and respiration. We also listen to your baby’s heart rate. You can expect us to conduct routine tests to determine if there are any potential problems that need to be addressed, such as checking your blood glucose level to determine if you are at risk for gestational diabetes. We will also discuss other do’s and don’ts regarding lifestyle, diet and environmental factors.

Low-Risk Pregnancy

Most pregnancies are low-risk. This means that no complications arise during the pregnancy, and there are no red flags prior to becoming pregnant that need to be closely monitored. This is great news because it means the mother and baby are healthy, and the labor and delivery process should go smoothly. With that in mind, feel confident you will receive individualized and in-depth care throughout your pregnancy. A typical prenatal schedule for low-risk pregnancies in mothers between the ages of 18 and 35 may look like this:

• First 32 weeks – every 4 to 6 weeks
• 32^nd through 37^th weeks – every 2 to 3 weeks
• 37^th week – once a week until delivery

High-Risk Pregnancy

This term simply means that one or more factors are present that could lead to health problems, complications, or preterm birth throughout the pregnancy. Age is an important determinant, with women younger than 17 and older than 35 being more at risk for certain complications. Additional risk factors include:

• Weight – being underweight or overweight before becoming pregnant
• Multiples – being pregnant with more than one baby
• Pre-existing Medical Conditions – may include high blood pressure or diabetes
• Previous Complications – women who have previously suffered a miscarriage or had other complications with previous pregnancies will experience more involved prenatal care throughout their pregnancy.

Any high-risk pregnancy will require additional prenatal checkups to allow for closer monitoring of the health of the mother and baby.

Schedule Your Appointment

To all women trying to get pregnant or have just learned they are pregnant, we congratulate you on this exciting time! Contact us to schedule an appointment with a member of our caring staff to begin your prenatal care. We will guide you every step of the way with the goal of a healthy and fulfilling experience.